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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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,,,,,,«=%& SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& AND A GIFT SHOP. &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### SOME ARE SHATTERED. ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= %% =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% %% %% %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& ««««««« % % ««««««« &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# %% %% #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## %% ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= LIT FROM BEHIND. =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& %% &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% %% %% %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= ««««««« % % ««««««« =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« %% %% «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, %% ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« FLOOR. «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« BECOME STILL. «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% %% %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& %% %% &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# ««««««« % % ««««««« #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## %% %% ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### %% ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### ####&%=«,,
,,,«=%&### A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ###&%=«,,,
,,,,«=%&## AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ##&%=«,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,,« «,,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,,«= SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER =«,,,,,,,,
,,,,,,,«=% THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK %=«,,,,,,,
,,,,,,«=%& GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND &%=«,,,,,,
,,,,,«=%&# I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE #&%=«,,,,,
,,,,«=%&## THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ##&%=«,,,,
,,,«=%&### ###&%=«,,,
,,«=%&#### I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ####&%=«,,
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